Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Remember, boys." Cressida lowered her oversized purse to the bench and smiled at her two charges for the day. "You have to stay where I can see you. I'll be right here if you need me." She sat beside the bag, legs crossing automatically, and patted the black leather monstrosity. "And when you're ready for your juice and snacks, I have them here."

"Yes, Mommy." Quixana nodded agreeably and then, turning on his heel, he motioned for his friend to join him. They hadn't gotten to play together in ages. Courage at his heels, he pelted over to the squat jungle gym, painted a cheerful yellow and resting safely atop a bed of rubber shavings. The moment he reached it, he wrapped his little hands around the nearest bar and allowed his weight to swing him under and around. He grinned over the top of it at Walter. "She'll be over there just like she says," he explained. "Mommy's good at trustin' me."

Quixana laughed, tightening his grip and letting himself hang back, arms straight. "I bet there's snacks for her in Mommy's bag, too," he suggested. "Courage has some hard cookie things, I know."

Abruptly, Courage butted her head against her Forgotten, sending him sprawling onto his side. Then she moved to stand over him, nose to nose. He braced his hands against her chest and heaved. It took three tries but he finally toppled her and moved to sit on her in retribution. "She says they're not cookies," he explained to Walter.

"Nope." Quixana rolled off Courage to land on all fours in the rubber shavings and then stood up, dusting off his brand new jeans; Cressida loved shopping and the little boy and his sister already had a wardrobe the envy of 3 toddlers. Unfortunately, Xana consistently refused to part with his bracer and his tabard thereby ruining all fashion statements. "I don't even dream at all," he added, frowning. He glanced at Courage.

She shook her head. No, I don't dream either and I've never felt you dreaming either. Anemone dreams, though, and Terror squirms through all of his own dreams.

Xana looked back to his friend. "Courage says she doesn't dream either. Are we supposed to?"

"Shade? Shade." Xana tested the name on his tongue, nose wrinkling as he thought. Finally, he shook his head. "Nope. Weird name, though. Is he nice? Shade and the kid?"

Quixana leaned against the nearest yellow bar for a moment before again gripping it and letting his weight hang. "What's wrong with him?" he finally asked. "Kids are fun. Daddies are even more fun. My Daddy teaches me all sorts of things an' he loves me an' Meme the same amount. Shade can love you an' that kid, too."

That wrinkled Xana's nose and he tilted his head to one side. In response to her Forgotten's dismay, Courage stood up and paced a bit, a rumble in the back of her throat. The two stared at Walter for long moments. Then, suddenly, Xana's face cleared. "Who gave him the cookie, huh?" he asked. "Can't see your Mommy doin' that."

"See? Doesn't matter if Shade breaks the rules for him or likes him better." Xana smiled. "Your mommy's not doin' him any favors."

That caught Xana's attention more firmly than jealousy; as much as he tried to sympathize with his friend, the concept was well out of his range of knowledge. He and his sister lived in apparant perpetual bliss and the rare times his father had looked strange never translated into jealousy. "Adventure sounds good! Should we finda princess to rescue or something?"